The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-10-31
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
CHESTNUT STREET CHURCH.


Such was the subject Of Rev. Mr.. Whit
aker's sermon yesterday afternoon, and
Chestnut street church was crowded with
deeply interested congregation.
Mr. Whitaker commenced his remarks by
alluding to the fact that the Romanist and
Protestant have many things in common
which are well worthy Of commendation.
He bore tribute to many noble things in the
lives of our Roman Catholic citizens, but
maintained that Romanism as distinctive
from Professionalism threatens the civil and
religious liberties Of the United States.
He quoted the following from Brownson's
(Catholic) Review as expressing the spirit Of
Professionalism towards Romanism in this
country:
The opposition to us is not as orthodox Christ
ians, nor In itself considered as foreigners but
simply as the representatives Of civilization diff
ferent from the American and In many respects
inferior and opposed TO it.
Mr.. Whitaker then announced his text as
Prov. xiv, "a, and after briefly discussing it
proceeded to show from Romish authorities
the peculiar doctrines of the Roman Catho-
lie Church. and their results in idolatrous
worship of images, and the immoral ten
denotes of the confessional per Sc, and as
illustrated in Roman Catholic countries,
proving an element Of national danger ac-
cording to the text, worthy Of the considera-
tion of Statesmen and Christians.
He then proceeded to discuss the aims of
the Romish Church in the United States,
showing from Romish authorities, first, that
the Roman Catholic Church is opposed to
Freedom of Conscience. Among his quota
tions were the following:
THE Catholic church numbers one-third Of the
American population and II its membership shall
increase for the next thirty years, as Il has for
majority and be bound to take this country and
keepit
Father Hecker in the Catholic World Of
July, 1870, says:
There is, ere long, to be State religion in this
country, and that State religion is to be the Ro-
1st-The Roman Catholic is to WELD his vote
for the purpose of securing Catholic ascendency
in this country.
2nd-An legislation must be governed by the
will Of God unerringly indicated by the Pope.
3rd-Education must be controlled by Catholic
the Individual and the utteranees of the press are
included, and many opinions are TO be forbidden
church even TO war and blo0dshed.
In the Catholic World for April Of the
same year appears the following:
The church is instituted as every Catholic
who understands his religion believes, TO guard
and defend the right Of God against any and
therefore, does not, and cannot accept, or in any
degree favor liberty, in the Protestant sense Of
| liberty.
And again In July:
The Catholic church is the medium and chan
mel through which the will Of God Is expressed.
| While the State has rights she has them only in
virtue and by permission OF the Superior Author
| ity, and that authority can be expressed only
tlrOuQl 0hurph
An English Catholic paper called the
Rambler says:
Religious liberty, in the sense of liberty pos
sessed by every man to choose his religion Is one
OF the most wicked delusions ever foistered upon
TINS age By the father Of all deceit The very
name OF liberty-except in the sense OF a per
| mission to do certain definite acts-Ought to be
banished from the domain of religion. 1t is
| neither more nor less than falsehood. No man
| has right to choose his religion. None but an
atheise can uphold the principles OF religious lib
erty. shall foster that damnable doctrine that
| Soclrlanism and Calvinism, and Anglicanisnl,
/ and Judaism, are not every one of them mortal
sins, like murder and adultery? Shall hold out
| hopes to my erring Protestant brother that viii
| not meddle with his creed II he will not meddle
| with mine? Shall tempt him TO forget that he
has no more right to his religious views than he
| has to my purse, to my house or to my life-b00d.
| No; Catholicism is the most intolerant Of creeds.
1t is intolerance itself for it is truth itself.
Quotations were also made from the En-
clyclicals of Popes Plus VII and TX, and
from St. Thomas Aquinas declared the most
accurate teachings of the church by the pres
ent Pope.
Mr.. Whitaker quoted from Brewnson's
review as follows:
Undoubtedly it is the intention of the Pope to
possess this country. In this intention he is aid
ed by the Jesuts and all Catholic prelates anC
priests" and showed from the oaths Of all Roman
ist bishops and Jesuits, the truth of this state
ment and concluded with the words of Lafayette
| lthnrfipQ a he ora Nat
destroyed they win fall by the hands Of the Cath
olic clergy.
Mr.. Whitaker said that the maintenance
of freedom of speech of the press and the
public school systems are essential to the
perpetuatiun of American civil and religious
liberties and that they were all assailed by
Romanism. He quoted from Pope Plus
TX as anathamatizing ''all who maintain til,
liberty Of the press" and "all advocates O
the liberty of speech, and the Papal Enclyc
lical XIV. The Romish church has a righ
70 intefere in the discipline Of the publ